Turmeric Chai Golden Milk
Turmeric is well researched in the medical literature for its benefit in inflammation and pain, for blood sugar regulation, antioxidant support, cognitive and digestive function, and liver and gallbladder health. Turmeric Chai Golden Milk is a super yummy way to get more of this wonderful spice into your diet. If milk is not good for your body type or just not your thing, you might want to hop over to another post I did for a recipe on Ginger Turmeric Tea.
I like curries but I don’t eat curry every day. Turmeric Chai Golden milk is one of my favourite ways to consume turmeric in my diet on a more regular basis. If you don’t tolerate regular milk, this recipe works well with any type of milk substitute including coconut, almond, hemp, rice and oat. The neat thing about the turmeric and accompanying spices is that it balances out the milk. Dairy milk tends to be cold and damp, which it not great for some body types. Serving the milk warm with the addition of turmeric and the accompanying pungent spices balances the milk out beautifully. The milk is also the perfect accompaniment to the turmeric for those people who tend to more dry, contracted or overheated tissue states. If someone tends to be overheated, they can reduce the amount of chai spices added.
Turmeric is better absorbed if its first heated in fat or oil together with black pepper. When its not prepared in this way, its not as well absorbed and its effect remains more localized in the gut - which certainly has benefit.
TO MAKE TURMERIC CHAI GOLDEN MILK
This recipe has two components - the turmeric paste and the chai spice blend. In my opinion, it’s the chai spices that make the golden milk taste good. I will share recipes following for the turmeric paste and I will include a few options for the chai spice misture. This recipe makes 2 cups or one large mug of golden milk
INGREDIENTS
1 cup of strong brew of chai tea (made with a tea bag blend or loose chai spice mixture brewed in water - see recipe below if you want to make your own)
2-3 teaspoons Turmeric paste see recipe below - or to taste
1 cup milk of your choice: dairy, coconut, oat, almond etc
Optional Sweetening: maple syrup, honey or other natural sweetener to taste
Simmer the tea bags or spice mixture in about 1 1/2 cups water covered on low for 20 minutes
Strain
Dissolve the turmeric paste into the hot tea
Add milk, warm slightly and sweeten to taste
Note: If you would prefer not to have to brew a chai spice tea every time you want to enjoy some golden milk, consider making a batch of your own chai syrup. See recipe at the very end of this post. Just add a tablespoon of chai syrup to a base of 2-3 teaspoons of turmeric paste and 2 cups of milk of your choice. For an even easier options there’s a chai flavoured oat creamer on the market by Elmhurst. I have not tried it but it seems to have good reviews. Use it to add a splash of chai flavouring to the tumeric milk base without having to brew a tea.
TURMERIC PASTE RECIPE FOR GOLDEN MILK
I often add this turmeric paste to other dishes, so I like making up a big batch and freezing the extras. Feel free to halve or quarter the recipe if you are not sure you will use it much. It’s the preparation of heating the turmeric in fat, together with black pepper that is key to making the turmeric more absorbable.
INGREDIENTS FOR THE TURMERIC PASTE
1 cup ground organic turmeric
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 can coconut cream
Melt the coconut cream in a small pan on the stovetop. Add the turmeric, black pepper and stir carefully to make a paste. If the paste is too thick to stir, add a bit of water.
Cook over low heat for 15-20 minutes. Keep the heat low, do not let it smoke or burn.
Store the paste in small jars and freeze the extras. If you like, you might want to freeze in ice cube trays instead - but beware it will colour everything bright yellow!
CHAI SPICE BLEND TO BREW YOUR OWN CHAI TEA
You can make chai tea using a ready made chai spice tea bag or spice mixture. Or you can make your own. Most chai recipe include black tea. I don’t. Chai spices also usually include black pepper. I don’t add it here as there is already black pepper in my turmeric mixture and I don’t want it to be too spicy hot.
INGREDIENTS
2 cups water
1 inch fresh ginger sliced or 1 teaspoon dry ginger powder or cut and sifted root
1/2 cinnamon stick or 2 teaspoons cinnamon chips
8 whole cardamom pods or 1 teaspoon cardamom seeds decorticated - lightly crushed
8 whole cloves
Pinch fennel seed
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 star anise pod
OPTIONAL:
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract or a pinch of vanilla powder
Add the spices to the water, cover and simmer on low for about 30 minutes.
Strain
Use on its own or add it to the recipe above for turmeric golden milk
CHAI SYRUP
I love having this syrup on hand in my fridge so that I can make a quick mug of turmeric chai golden milk without having to brew a tea every time. Here’s my recipe.
INGREDIENTS
4 cups of water
1/4 cup cinnamon chips or 5 cinnamon sticks
1 tablespoon cardamom seeds decorticated
1 tablespoon cloves
1 tablespoon fennel seed
2 star anise pods
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 inches of fresh ginger root sliced
Optional: a few tablespoons of roasted dandelion root or a few slices of dried reishi or chaga to add a deeper earthy dimension
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 to 1 1/2 cups of honey
Add all the herbs and spices to the water except the vanilla and honey
Cover, bring to a gentle simmer. Simmer covered for 2 hours
Strain the liquid from the spices. Discard the spices
Over medium heat reduce the liquid down to one cup
Allow to cool till just warm
Add the vanilla extract and honey. If you figure you will use this up within the next month you can go with the lower amount of honey. If you want this to keep for a few months, use 1 1/2 cups honey to help preserve it longer
Store in the fridge
To make golden milk - add about 1 tablespoon of this syrup to the turmeric golden milk mixture as in the recipe for tumeric golden milk above